Passage15 The More Loving One

W. H. Auden

Looking up at the stars, I know quite well

That, for all they care, I can go to hell,

But on earth indifference is the least

We have to dread from man or beast.

How should we like it were stars to burn

With a passion for us we could not return?

If equal affection cannot be,

Let the more loving one be me.

Admirer as I think I am

Of stars that do not give a damn,

I cannot, now I see them, say

I missed one terribly all day.

Were all stars to disappear or die?

I should learn to look at an empty sky

And feel its total dark sublime,

Though this might take me a little time.

参考译文

爱得更多的人

W. H．奥登

仰望群星的时分，我一清二楚，

尽管它们关怀备至，我亦有可能赴地府，

可是尘世间我们丝毫不必畏惧

人类或禽兽的那份冷漠。

倘若群星燃烧着关怀我们的激情，

我们却无法回报，我们做何感想？

倘若无法产生同样的感情，

让我成为爱得更多的人。

尽管我自视为群星的崇拜者，

它们满不在乎，

现在我看群星，却难以启齿，

说我成天思念一颗星星。

倘若所有的星星消失或者死亡，

我应该学会仰望空荡的天空，

同时感受天空一片漆黑的崇高，

虽然这样可能要花费一点时间。

编者点评

W. H．奥登这首诗语言平实，很口语化，诗人以仰望星空开头，体会到了一种不对等的关系——自己是群星的爱慕者，而群星对他却满不在乎。诗人把来自宇宙的冷漠与来自尘世的冷漠做对比，告诉我们，也告诉自己：“可是尘世间我们丝毫不必畏惧人类或禽兽的那份冷漠。”这首诗隐含的或许不止人与人之间的爱情，可能还有诗人对信仰或社会的思考。